


Vanguard

by ksmthing



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:02:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23884198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ksmthing/pseuds/ksmthing
Summary: "Dog —” Baby began, but he faltered. He spun, the only way he could express any emotion. This time it was a bit of everything, and even with just that Dog took a deep breath to steady himself for the oncoming lecture he knew he was about to receive. Baby moved to hover in front of Dog’s face and whirred with frustration. “Look at me, you sad old thing.
Kudos: 10





	Vanguard

They’d been here for hours, the sun had long set over the city but still, they remained. It had been quite an afternoon, that had stretched into quite an evening. It seemed the Vanguard had finally decided they needed to fill Cayde’s position, and after considerable thought, they had offered the position to Dog.

Rationally it seemed like the right decision, he already found himself fulfilling the duties without the title. It had seemed natural to step into it when Cayde had died, to help guide the Hunter’s that were left without a Vanguard, but now they wanted to make it official and Dog felt like he couldn’t breathe. He’d nearly run from the meeting, and he hadn’t stopped until he’d found himself on a catwalk overlooking the City. This part of the Tower was fairly secluded and Baby knew that’s exactly why Dog came here. He didn’t want to be disturbed, but that didn’t mean Baby would leave him alone. 

Dog walked the same stretch of the catwalk back and forth. The heaving of his chest and the shaking of his hands were enough for Baby to know he was panicking, and he could only watch as his Guardian fell apart before him. This wasn’t the first time it had happened, and Baby knew it wouldn’t be the last. There was little he could do to help, and he didn’t dare to speak until the worst of it was over. 

After what felt like hours (but surely was only moments) Dog’s hands fell to the sheathed knife at his side and he unsheathed it, his shaking hands twirling it with practiced ease. Baby watched him steady himself, watched as the heaving of his chest slowed and Dog came back to himself. The worst of it was over, and as Baby watched the blade catching the dim light from overhead he spoke. 

“What scares you about this, Dog?” Baby quired, frustrated by Dog’s inability to see how simple a decision this was. “Why did you refuse them?”

Dog’s head whipped to him, and his face was full of emotion in a way Baby hadn’t seen in years. He looked tormented and suddenly he regretted thinking the decision was as simple as he had first thought. 

But still - the question had given him pause and for the first time in hours, he was still. He watched his Ghost for a moment before his amber optics darted away and looked over the lights of the City. He sheathed his knife and in that moment it seemed like everything left him as he slumped against the railing. The silence that followed was some of the worst moments of Baby’s life.

Until - 

“What if I fail them?” Dog’s voice was constricted as if the emotion was keeping his throat tight. His head fell, and the way he spoke next would have broken Baby’s heart if it hadn’t broken for him long ago. “I don’t deserve this.”

There wasn’t a person out there that hated Dog more than himself, and Baby would have cursed himself out if he knew it wouldn’t make things worse. Of course, it was this, it always came back to this. Dog was sure he didn’t deserve happiness, and he surely didn’t believe he deserved the trust and respect of hundreds of Hunters that looked up to him. 

Baby whirred beside him, there was little he could do in moments like this and it tore him apart every time. There was no one he loved as completely as he loved Dog, and the moment’s Dog hated himself this deeply felt like a physical wound. Dog’s shoulders shook and his head fell to the railing with a soft ‘tnk’ of metal against metal. Exo’s couldn’t cry, at least not as humans could, but that didn’t mean their minds didn’t remember the action of it. 

“Dog —” Baby began, but he faltered. He spun, the only way he could express any emotion. This time it was a bit of everything, and even with just that Dog took a deep breath to steady himself for the oncoming lecture he knew he was about to receive. Baby moved to hover in front of Dog’s face and whirred with frustration. “Look at me, you sad old thing.” 

Despite everything, Dog couldn’t help the laugh, even if it got caught up in his throat. He wiped away tears that had never fallen and looked up at his Ghost who truly looked like he was about to end his career before it had even started.

“You don’t need to believe in yourself, you know why?” Baby began, but as quickly as he started Dog interjected, “I’m sure you are about -”

“Shut up, I’m not finished.” Baby snapped, and this time Dog did laugh, and Baby couldn’t help but spin at the sound - to this day it was still the best sound he’d ever heard. Dog held out his hand and Baby went over to it, hovering just above his palm before he spoke again, “You don’t need to believe in yourself because they do.”

There was silence for a moment as Dog considered the thought, and he sighed in defeat as Baby continued, “I - uh - Also already messaged Ikora and told her you had accepted the position.”

“Of course you did,” Dog quipped back, the laughter dancing through his voice and chasing the remaining sadness away. He may have felt it was him against the world sometimes, but with Baby hovering against his hand he realized it never had to be that way. Dog gently raised his hand and lent down to bump his forehead against his Ghost, and Baby hummed happily. “Where would I be without you, Baby?”

“Dead in a ditch somewhere,” Baby chirped, “I love you, even when you’re being impossible.”

Dog smiled, and everything was right in the world again, even if he still didn’t feel sure about the coming future, he knew that whatever came his way he could face it with Baby by his side. He straightened up and Baby hovered beside him as he smoothed himself out, “Come on then, let’s go celebrate.”

“Whatever you say, Vanguard.”

“Oh, don’t start that, or I’ll throw you off the edge.”

Baby laughed as they began on the search for the closest bar, “You have a terrible throwing arm. I’d not make it far.”

Dog snorted, but he’d never been more thankful for Baby than he was in that moment. Over a thousand years together and Baby still surprised him (and kept him inline) as no one else could. There was no one that knew them as well as they knew each other, and this was just another step they’d take as a team - the newly appointed Hunter Vanguard and his Ghost - who would have ever thought?


End file.
